High capacity prelithiation reagents and lithium-rich anode materials
Described here is a method for making an anode of a rechargeable battery, comprising incorporating a composition comprising Li x M into the anode, wherein M is a Group 14 element. Also described here is an anode comprising a composition comprising Li x M, wherein M is a Group 14 element, and a rechargeable battery comprising the anode.
1. A method for making an anode of a rechargeable battery, comprising mixing a prelithiation reagent composition and an anode material selected from the group consisting of carbon, graphite, Si, Ge, SiO, SiO 2 , TiO 2 , SnO 2 and P,
wherein the prelithiation reagent composition comprises nanoparticles or microparticles comprising (a) a matrix of at least one of Li 2 O or LiF and (b) a plurality of Li x M domains embedded in the matrix,
wherein M is a Group 14 element, and x is an atomic ratio of Li to M, wherein x is 5:1 or less,
wherein the prelithiation reagent composition prelithiates the anode material and improves a first cycle Coulombic efficiency of the anode by at least 2%, and wherein the first cycle Coulombic efficiency of the anode is at least 90%.
2. A method for making an anode of a rechargeable battery, comprising mixing a prelithiation reagent composition and an anode material selected from the group consisting of carbon, graphite, Si, Ge, SiO, SiO 2 , TiO 2 , SnO 2 and P,
wherein the prelithiation reagent composition comprises nanoparticles or microparticles comprising (a) a protective coating of at least one of Li 2 O or LiF and (b) a Li x M core encapsulated by the protective coating,
wherein M is a Group 14 element, and x is an atomic ratio of Li to M, wherein x is 5:1 or less,
wherein the prelithiation reagent composition prelithiates the anode material and improves a first cycle Coulombic efficiency of the anode by at least 2%, and wherein the first cycle Coulombic efficiency of the anode is at least 90%.
3. The method of claim 1 or 2 , wherein the composition comprises at least one of Li x C, Li x Si, Li x Ge, or Li x Sn.
4. The method of claim 1 or 2 , comprising mixing the prelithiation reagent composition and the anode material in at least one solvent to form a slurry, wherein the solvent has a dielectric constant of 20 or less.
5. The method of claim 1 or 2 , further comprising reacting nanoparticles or microparticles of the Group 14 element or compound thereof with Li to obtain the prelithiation reagent composition comprising Li x M.
6. The method of claim 1 or 2 , further comprising reacting Li with nanoparticles or microparticles of at least one of graphite, Si, SiO, SiO 2 , Ge, GeO 2 , or metal silicide to obtain the prelithiation reagent composition comprising .
7. The method of claim 1 or 2 , wherein x is 1:6 or greater.